During the dedication service, parents express vows before God, their family, and the church, declaring their desire to raise their child in a God-honoring way. Because parents are the key role models for their children, they play a primary role in the dedication service.

Parents will be asked to affirm the following commitments:

• Do you receive this child with gratitude, as God’s gift to you and your family?
• Do you commit to creating environments for your child(ren) that are teaching and modeling your Faith?
• For married couples: Do you commit to each other as parents, to creating a stable environment in which your child can mature? Will you make a covenant to strengthen your marriage relationship?
• Do you commit to be parents of personal faith, recognizing your children are more likely to follow God’s path by the model they first observe in you?
• Do you commit to lead a faith-filled home that honors God by modeling personal purity?
• Do you commit to be parents with patience and understanding?
• Do you commit to acknowledging that raising your kids to love and serve Jesus Christ will require time, prayer and God’s help?

The scriptural root of child dedication is found in 1 Samuel 1:27–28 (NASB), where a godly woman named Hannah prayed year after year for God to give her a child. He answered her prayer and she gave birth to a son, whom she named Samuel. When Samuel was born, Hannah prayed these words:

"For this boy, I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord."

A New Testament example is in Luke, chapter 2. Following the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph took the infant Jesus to the temple and dedicated him.

In both Scripture passages, the parents entrusted their child completely to God. The writings of Moses, found in Deuteronomy 6:5–9, describe God's plan for how a parent should raise up a child:

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

At Cedar Valley, child dedication will help you mark this step as you publically express your desire to raise your children with godly principles.

Scripture provides evidence that baptism follows an individual’s decision to trust Jesus alone for salvation (Acts 2:41, 8:12 and 10:47–48). In the Bible, we find parents bringing their children to Jesus. He held them, prayed for them and told us to welcome them. But He did not baptize them and He did not tell anyone else to baptize them. Cedar Valley believes baptism is for those who have made a personal decision to trust Jesus alone for their salvation, once they have the maturity and ability to understand what that means.

Dedication is not a sacrament; nor does it impart grace or salvation to a child. Salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ as each person recognizes their sinfulness and receives forgiveness and eternal life through Him and His work on the cross.

Rather than baptizing infants or children, Cedar Valley encourages Christian parents to dedicate their children. This is a ceremony in which parents formally call upon God’s blessing for their child and publicly commit to raise him or her in accordance with scripture.

You do not need to be a member of Cedar Valley Church to have your child dedicated. We do encourage parents to make sure they are calling Cedar Valley their home church. Why? In dedicating your child to God, you are stating that you are willing to partner with God and the church to raise your child in cooperation with God’s intentions. To partner with any church, a parent would be wise to decide if he or she agrees with its beliefs and vision so they can fully participate in their partnership with the church.

While Cedar Valley does not have a set age requirement for child dedication, the average age for a child to be dedicated is four to eight months old, although many parents dedicate children much older than that, often for the following reasons:

• The parent(s) are new believers in Christ and their children were not dedicated when they were infants.
• The parent(s) are having a younger child dedicated and want to have their older child dedicated at the same time.

Although the term “godparent” is not used at Cedar Valley, we do welcome parents to invite friends and family members committed to supporting them. The presence of these significant adults symbolizes their commitment to play a supportive role in the child’s spiritual development. During the ceremony only immediate family members are invited to be on the stage

Christening gowns are often family heirlooms with a significant history in the family, and it is fine for your child to wear one. Otherwise, parents and children are welcome to wear whatever makes you feel most comfortable. You will be on the stage, so please choose the appropriate attire.